New English Translation
Nahum 3:4
4“Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute – a seductive mistress who practices sorcery, who enslaves nations by her harlotry, and entices peoples by her sorcery –
Nahum 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
- New International Version (NIV)all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, The mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations through her harlotries, And families through her sorceries.
Context of Nahum 3:4
2The chariot drivers will crack their whips; the chariot wheels will shake the ground; the chariot horses will gallop; the war chariots will bolt forward! 3The charioteers will charge ahead; their swords will flash and their spears will glimmer! There will be many people slain; there will be piles of the dead, and countless casualties – so many that people will stumble over the corpses. “Because you have acted like a wanton prostitute – a seductive mistress who practices sorcery, who enslaves nations by her harlotry, and entices peoples by her sorcery – 5I am against you,” declares the Lord who commands armies. “I will strip off your clothes! I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms; 6I will pelt you with filth; I will treat you with contempt; I will make you a public spectacle.
Read all of Nahum 3Nahum 3:4 word by word
מֵרֹב֙ זְנוּנֵ֣י זוֹנָ֔ה ט֥וֹבַת חֵ֖ן בַּעֲלַ֣ת כְּשָׁפִ֑ים הַמֹּכֶ֤רֶת גּוֹיִם֙ בִּזְנוּנֶ֔יהָ וּמִשְׁפָּח֖וֹת בִּכְשָׁפֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Because of the multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- of the whoredomsזְנוּנִיםzânûn · fornicationH2183
- of the wellfavouredחֵןchên · favorH2580
- of the wellfavouredטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- harlotזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
- the mistressבַּעֲלָהba‛ălâh · mistressH1172
- of witchcraftsכֶּ֫שֶׁףkesheph · sorceryH3785
- that sellethמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
Cross-references for Nahum 3:4
- Isaiah 23:15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the typical life span of a king. At the end of seventy years Tyre will try to attract attention again, like the prostitute in the popular song:
- Isaiah 47:9Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, despite your many incantations and your numerous amulets.
- Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,
- Revelation 18:2He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.
Commentaries on Nahum 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms - Above, the Ninevites were represented under the emblem of a lion tearing all to pieces; here they are represented under the emblem of a beautiful harlot or public prostitute, enticing all men to her, inducing the nations to become idolatrous, and, by thus perverting them, rendering them also objects of the Divine wrath. Mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms - Using every means to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot - There are “multitudes of slain” because of the “multitude of whoredoms” and love of the creature instead of the Creator. So to Babylon Isaiah saith, “they (loss of children and widowhood) shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, for the great abundance of thine enchantments” Isaiah 47:9. The actual use of “enchantments,” for which Babylon was so…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4mistress of sorcery: The Assyrians attracted other nations with wealth and promises of safety and prosperity. However, they then exploited them through military power and economic control. Therefore, their punishment was a fair consequence for their actions (see Proverbs 24:12; Joel 3:4–8; Revelation 18:6; 20:12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms--This assigns the reason for Nineveh's destruction. of the well-favoured harlot--As Assyria was not a worshipper of the true God, "whoredoms" cannot mean, as in the case of Israel, apostasy to the worship of false gods; but, her harlot-like artifices whereby she allured neighboring states so as to subject them to herself. As the unwary are allured by the "well-favored harlot's" looks, so Israel, Judah (for…Read the comment
Topics related to Nahum 3:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nahum 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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